DHAKA TRIBUNE
Sport
15
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
'Pakistan players suffering from home exclusion' n Reuters, Karachi
QUICK BYTES
Guardiola laughs off Neuer to City reports Bayern coach Pep Guardiola has laughed off reports Manchester City have tabled a 48 million euros bid (£40m) for Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash. Bayern host Manchester City at Munich’s Allianz Arena with the Premier League side needing to win at least 3-0 to knock the hosts from first place in Group D with both sides already through to the knock-out stages. Guardiola has said he is deadly serious about the Bavarians’ intentions of beating City to become only the sixth team in Champions League history to emerge from the group stages with a 100 per cent record from the six games. But the Spaniard laughed off British media reports that City have tabled a huge bid for Neuer, the rock in the Bayern defence which has leaked just nine goals in 20 Bundesliga and Champions League games this season. –AFP
South Africa name unchanged squad for India Tests
South Africa on Monday named an unchanged 15-man squad for two Test matches against India later this month. South Africa, the leading team on the International Cricket Council rankings, have not been beaten in a series since 2009. Both their last two series against India, away in 2009/10 and at home the following season, were drawn. In their most recent series, against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in October, South Africa lost the first Test in Abu Dhabi but bounced back with an innings win in the second and final Test in Dubai to share the series. “We were very happy with the performance of the Proteas in the second Test match at Dubai,” said Cricket South Africa selection convener Andrew Hudson, “and we see no need to change something that is operating well.” –AFP
Israel midfielder Benayoun signs for QPR Israel midfielder Yossi Benayoun has signed a short-term contract with English Championship club Queen’s Park Rangers. The promotion-chasing London club confirmed on Tuesday that the former West Ham United, Liverpool and Chelsea player, who had been on trial, had joined the second tier side until the end of the season. “Yossi is a good footballer, a top-class player,” QPR manager Harry Redknapp said. “He’s got great ability and is someone I have always liked. I actually tried to take him to Tottenham at one time. “I think he will be a fantastic addition to the squad.” –Reuters
Turkey minister slams Mandela T-shirt action Turkey’s sports minister lashed out on Monday at moves by the football authorities to punish two top Ivorian club players for paying homage to Nelson Mandela. Didier Drogba and Emmanuel Eboue have been threatened with disciplinary action by the Turkish Football Federation for violating a ban on wearing political slogans on T-shirts – triggering outrage on Twitter. Turkish Sports Minister Suat Kilic called on the federation to review its decision against the two star players with Istanbul giant Galatasaray. Drogba removed his club shirt after a match Friday against SB Elazigspor to reveal a T-shirt that read “Thank You Madiba”, using Mandela’s clan name. –AFP
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South Africa's players celebrate after winning the Final match against New Zealand in IRB Sevens rugby tournament at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Sunday
Pakistan, Sri Lanka tune up for World Twenty20
Bolt, Fraser-Pryce crowned top athletes
n AFP, Dubai
Jamaica’s double World Championships sprint gold medalists Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce were on Monday named the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association’s male and female athletes of 2013. Bolt, who was absent due to sponsorship commitments off the island, and Fraser-Pryce,
Sri Lanka and Pakistan will use their two-match series in Dubai starting on Wednesday to size each other up ahead of the World Twenty20 in three months’ time. Pakistan, fourth in the Twenty20 rankings, are also aiming to topple Sri Lanka from the top of the standings by winning both matches, the second of which takes place on Friday. “Sri Lanka are a top side so this is in itself a motivation to beat the number one side and if we win both it will lift us to the top of the world,” Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez said. If the series is a 1-1 draw the teams will maintain their current rankings while a 2-0 loss would push Hafeez’s team down to fifth. Pakistan go into the matches well prepared after playing four Twenty20 games against South Africa last month. They also overcame tough resistance from minnows Afghanistan by six wickets in a last ball thriller in Sharjah on Sunday – the first Twenty20 be-
tween the two countries. Pakistan will be at full strength and boosted by the return of magician offspinner Saeed Ajmal, who skipped Sunday’s game to rest back home. “We leaked quite a few runs against Afghanistan so we will have to be at our best to beat Sri Lanka and Ajmal’s return will help that,” said Hafeez, who was man of the match against Afghanistan for his 42 not out. Sri Lanka, led by Dinesh Chandimal, will have to overcome rustiness after most of their recent matches at home were ruined by rain. Last month they beat New Zealand 1-0 with the other match abandoned because of inclement weather. “The advantage Pakistan’s got is that they have played a lot of international cricket in the last six-eight months whereas unfortunately we haven’t played nearly as much because of weather and various other things,” said coach Graham Ford. Sri Lanka are hoping their batting will see them through with the experienced
Tillakaratne Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara providing a contrast to Pakistan’s fragile and unpredictable batsmen. Ajantha Mendis and Sachithra Senanayake are the two specialist spinners in the bowling department which is spearheaded by paceman Lasith Malinga. Pakistan finished runners-up in the first World Twenty20 held in South Africa in 2007 before winning the title in England two years later. Pakistan defeated Sri Lanka in the final at Lord’s – a defeat which Sri Lanka avenged by winning the semi-final in Colombo on their way to finishing runners-up in the fourth edition last year. The fifth edition will be held in Bangladesh from March 16 to April 6. Pakistan’s selectors added 19 yearold left-arm paceman Usman Shinwari to the squad after his impressive performance at domestic level. Shinwari took 5-9 in National Twenty20 championship final on December 3 in Lahore, which also included Pakistan’s one-day and Test captain Misbah-ul Haq’s scalp. l
n AFP, Kingston
retained the titles they won last year. Bolt won the 100 metre-200 metre double at the IAAF World Championships in Moscow earlier this year, and led the 4x100m relay teams to victory as well. Fraser-Pryce also won the double in the 100m and 200m. Bolt and Fraser-Pryce were earlier this year named the IAAF male and female athletes of the year. l
Double points to go to winner of final Grand Prix
England rest senior trio for ODIs
n AFP, Paris
2014 F1 CALENDAR
Formula One’s governing body has announced a series of changes aimed at making the motor sport more competitive and crowd-pleasing. These include awarding double points for the final Grand Prix of the season, which next year takes place in Abu Dhabi on Nov 23, and a numbers identification system for drivers which they will retain throughout their career. The decision to award double points, counting towards the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, at the final race of the season was made “to maximise focus on the championship until the end of the campaign”, according to a statement from FIA. l
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England have rested batsman Kevin Pietersen and bowling pair Graeme Swann and James Anderson from their limited-overs squads for the series in Australia starting next month. Test captain Alastair Cook will lead the 16-man squad in the one-day international series, while paceman Stuart Broad will be in charge of the 15-man Twenty20 squad named on Tuesday. England will play five ODIs and three T20 matches following the fivetest Ashes series which they trail 2-0. “This is going to be another month of tough cricket and then a heavy schedule from the West Indies tour onwards,” England coach Andy Flower told reporters on Tuesday. “Straight after the World T20, the In-
: Australia (Melbourne) : Malaysia (Sepang) : Bahrain (Sakhir) : China (Shanghai) : Spain (Barcelona) : Monaco (Monte Carlo) : Canada (Montreal) : Austria (Red Bull Ring) : Great Britain (Silverstone) : Germany (Hockenheim) : Hungary (Budapest) : Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps) : Italy (Monza) : Singapore (Marina Bay) : Japan (Suzuka) : Russia (Sochi) : United States (Austin) : Brazil (Interlagos, Sao Paulo) : Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)
n Reuters
dian Premier League begins and while that’s on, the English season starts. Our players who play all three forms cannot play 12 months a year.
SQUAD
ODI Alastair Cook (captain), Gary Ballance, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Michael Carberry, Steven Finn, Chris Jordan, Eoin Morgan, Boyd Rankin, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Tredwell. T20 Stuart Broad (captain), Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Danny Briggs, Jos Buttler, Jade Dernbach, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Eoin Morgan, Boyd Rankin, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Tredwell, Luke Wright.
“Guys like Anderson and Pietersen are in their early 30s now and they are prize assets and we need to look after them. “From a physical perspective, they’re always dealing with various niggles and sometimes they need to be taken out of competition. That is not for them just to rest, it’s so we can maximise their skills when they do play.” With the Twenty20 World Cup next year followed by the 50-over World Cup in 2015, the selection will provide opportunities for youngsters to stake their claim. “We have an important period of limited overs cricket coming up with an ICC World T20 in Bangladesh in March and we are just over a year away from the... World Cup in New Zealand and Australia,” national selector Geoff Miller said in a statement. l
'Johnson can go faster'
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n AFP, Adelaide
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AFP
Playing matches constantly away from home is taking a psychological toll on Pakistan’s players, captain Misbah-ulHaq said on Monday in urging cricket’s governing body (ICC) to reinstate internationals in his country. No international teams have toured Pakistan since the 2009 attack by militants on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore, leaving Pakistan to host all their home matches at neutral countries. “You look at the example of England batsman Jonathan Trott recently and you can imagine what our players are going through... playing away from home constantly for the last five years is taking its toll on the players,” he said on a television talk show. Trott is on an indefinite break from cricket after ruling himself out of the ongoing Ashes series in Australia with stress-related issues. Misbah pointed out that many players struggled to be away from home and their families for long periods of time. “It is not easy for the players to be playing away from home for the last five years and it has got its psychological consequences and it has also stopped the growth of our cricket,” Misbah added. l
Australia pacer Mitchell Johnson celebrates their victory over England in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide on Monday AFP
Australian bowling coach Craig McDermott had a chilling warning for England Tuesday – Mitchell Johnson can go even faster on his home ground in Perth. The fearsome left-arm paceman grabbed his second consecutive manof-the-match award after a thumping win in Adelaide on Monday as the home side took a 2-0 lead in the fiveTest series. If Australia win the third Test starting in Perth on Friday, they will reclaim the Ashes they lost in 2009 with Johnson tipped to take it to another level at a ground where he has claimed 36 wickets at an average of under 20. The imposing quick, who already has 17 wickets in this series at 12.70,
has bowled at speeds above 150 kph (93 mph) and playing in his home Test should provide even more pace, McDermott said. “I’d like to see – at his home ground, being in front of his adopted state, Western Australia – what the adrenaline does to his pace,” McDermott told reporters. “Not forgetting that it’s not all about speed. It’s about making sure that the ball is in the right spot and that is what Mitchell has done since his return to international cricket, both in the shorter form and in Test match cricket. “He has been able to bowl good line or length, mixed up with some very good short-pitched bowling.” Australia coach Darren Lehmann, who has helped mastermind Australia’s turnaround after their 3-0 series
loss in England earlier this year, said his key task was to keep the 32-year-old firing on all cylinders. “He’s been impressive. He’s confident. Our challenge is to keep him going and bowling that way. It’s exciting for Test match cricket,” Lehmann said. “It’s exciting to see bowlers bowl fast, or spinners turn it square. You’ve got to adapt and improve your technique. It’s always exciting to see guys bowl at those speeds.” With momentum on their side, Lehmann wants his team to keep on doing what they’ve been doing in Perth. Lehmann said he expected allrounder Shane Watson to bowl more in Perth after being used sparingly in Brisbane and Adelaide, where his focus was on his batting. l